


Episode 8: Love

by fsdfsdfsd



Series: Challenge: Correct the AU as we go along [8]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: AU, Can easily be read without knowing the Xyz dimension AU, Except mostly focused on where the primary characters DON'T exist, F/M, Hanoi AU, Introspection, Mild hints of Xyz dimension AU, Probably will be out of character later, Romance, Self-created challenge, This one is actually beta read, literally my first time writing anything romance focused, never even been in a romantic relationship, relationship focused, romance focused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 23:17:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11747238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fsdfsdfsd/pseuds/fsdfsdfsd
Summary: Being the "civilian lover" of the infamous Ghost Girl doesn't bother Akira. He's glad to have found someone who he can freely love as he is.





	Episode 8: Love

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm back. I had finals for summer school, and since it's a three month course shoved into five weeks life got hectic. Then I took a week off to unwind. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up (again) soon, as I have a few weeks until school starts again in September. I deliberately avoided watching any new episodes, so I can write my fics as I want to- but be warned that my content won't be up to date until I catch up. Hope it's fun anyways.

If you’d ask him, Akira would deny that he jumped when Ema slammed the door open one Friday evening. Never mind that such was a natural reaction to loud, unexpected noises, he would insist he only found it strange because he knew for a fact she’d performed her last job well. “I take it my boss wasn’t too happy with your work.”

She shook her head as she kicked her shoes off. “He liked my work just fine. It was the results that pissed him off.”

There were certain secrets about his work that Akira wasn’t privy to, but he knew that risks were inherent and gambles had to be made. Middle-level workers like himself were rarely told what goal their work would ultimately be used to achieve, but even the ones giving those orders regularly worked with incomplete information.

Confidentiality was a necessity for government contractors at any level (even more so thanks to Hanoi’s efforts), but inadequacy was often the result.

No matter how well thought-out his superiors’ plans, they were often conceived with false premises in mind, doomed to fail from the start. Time, money, and effort wasted, and nobody could tell until they brought all the pieces together and watched them collapse.

As an employee of SOL, Akira could already envision the mountain of cleanup work he’d have to face come Monday. As Ema’s partner, he chose to spend the moment brightening both their days. “You wanna call for takeout or should I?”

“I thought you were making Oyakodon.”

“Would you prefer that?” He said. Ema cast him a glance, so he elaborated, “I thought tonight would be a good time for us to treat ourselves.”

He waited while she contemplated the options, until she said, “I think that new American-style restaurant does deliveries.”

They did. Akira could remember their number and had it into the phone quickly. “You want me to get pizza, or try something new?”

Ema smiled, for both of them knew that Akira already knew what she’d answer. “Something new.” She chuckled as she said, “I’m feeling adventurous tonight.” So, she wanted to unwind.

It was an old joke between them, one that they both enjoyed without ever saying it outright. For Ema, there could be no peace without challenge. No joy without action. She needed adventure and exploration to live as much as she needed food or water.

It was why she chose her career, why she’d entered a field largely dominated by men and why she’d defied everything the world told her to be. The life of a bounty hunter gave her everything she craved, while dodging the pencil-pushing and regulations linked with the likes of military and law enforcement.

Akira knew this when he first met Ema as the new hire, tasked with passing her payment and instructions in lieu of his superior. He noticed the warnings on his own, and saw nothing he couldn’t handle.

Ema may be a wildfire, but Akira knew the secret to loving a flame was to respect it.

Their relationship had taken time to grow, longer to develop, and patience to nurture. Akira knew he hadn’t the stomach to explore Ema’s work and still see her as anything more than a monster. A sociopath could have or fake a genuine connection with another human being and still see the rest of the world as garbage, although Akira wasn’t certain that Ema qualified as one.

He didn’t know if she truly gave a damn about him, and he could live with that. She gave him her time, attention, and willingness to compromise just as much as he gave her. Who she tortured for information didn’t matter to him if he didn’t have to see it.

Akira was never afraid of her, not once in six years. Afraid for her, occasionally. Afraid of losing her once, but not so much so he’d backed down until they both agreed to compromise.

And Ema could go wherever she pleased, do whatever she liked, but she chose to come back to him. She could’ve moved from city to city as she pleased, but after each long-distance trip she somehow always found her way back. Akira had offered to move, once when she’d extended a work trip to take on a double job, but Ema had laughed and assured him she’d return soon.

“This place gets its money from its trade and the farmers under their protection.” She’d said through the phone, “Who needs a local specialist when all your thinking is imported?”

“But you-”

“I’ll be fine.” She’d smiled at the camera. “This will take just a week or so, and I’ll be on my way home. Can you wait three weeks for me?”

He’d heard something then, in the sound of her voice. Something that was rushed and resigned, and Akira knew that Ema had wanted to stay in that city. But she didn’t think he would.

Sometimes he thought about what she’d said and how she’d said it. When his superiors signed him up for assignments without asking him, or he was passed over in favor of the latest rising star. When he remembered that he wasn’t tied down any more than Ema was, only apartment leases and work contracts and citizenship binding him to Den City.

Once, Akira was convinced that it was his stability that pulled Ema to him. Wild wants uptight, moody seeks cheerful, that sort of thing. Perhaps there was some of that in their base attraction, but Akira had come to appreciate what they had in common more than where they were opposites.

When Akira was mediocre, it was deliberate. He didn’t care all that much about work beyond making a paycheck. When something mattered to him, he could push hard and think smart. The more important the challenge, the more he enjoyed rising to meet it.

Ema thrived on constant chaos and adventure and Akira spent most of his time floating through life, but whenever he found one of those rare risks worthy of his attention he delighted in it. She needed to find trouble, he couldn’t leave an unsolved problem. And when the two of them clashed, it always became an adventure of its own.

Sure, the arguments and rocky times early in their relationship had been draining and stressful. But the two of them were such people that they could never part ways until they’d either found a solution or agreed that the downsides of staying together outweighed the benefits. Neither of them liked to think of the latter, but they weren’t foolish enough to deny the possibility. And the threat of failure meant both of them were willing to discard pride, anger, fear and resentment if those things kept them from moving forward.

Yet neither one was willing to let any issue die without facing its causes- without working to prevent a similar mistake from occurring again. And so with each disagreement they challenged each other, each reconciliation they conquered and measured their hearts, and each agreement they grew a little more.

With time and maturity, understanding grew and harsh feelings took longer to build. They hadn’t had a fight in years, as would-be conflicts were identified and tackled before any pain could come from them.

So after placing the order and sitting next to Ema, Akira smirked when she put her feet on his lap. Teased her as she teased him over the prospect of a foot rub. Tickled her instead, just to see her laugh more in humor than from sensation.

These simple everyday moments were a reward in and of themselves, but Akira was blessed to have someone who challenged him as much as he challenged them.

**Author's Note:**

> After watching this episode, nothing jumped out at me for a story. I need characters and motives to inspire me more than plot- and though we see plenty of motive and characters in the episode, it’s almost all driven by relationships and situation-specific circumstances, not stuff that carries over into my universe. The only thing that carries over into my story is Yusaku’s morality, but frankly what we see is powerful yet so small that I can’t just build a story around showing it- I’d need a premise and try to find a way for that trait to shine through, which can possibly go wrong if not done right anyways. So, no.
> 
> Ideas that were based on the plot itself just didn't inspire me. Yusaku worried about a hurt Aoi? He wouldn't be able to do anything about it since he has his own job, and I just couldn't get invested in the intricate details of his worry for her. Yusaku being tortured? Okay, but who is torturing him and why, does he care about what he's being told to do or say? I just couldn't attach myself to any one scenario enough to develop and explore it.
> 
> So I went to the basic events of the episode. We see Akira worried, Yusaku guilty, Akira and Ema interact, Yusaku act impulsively, and Akira react badly to Yusaku's impulsiveness. Points 2 and 4 already failed to inspire, but then I got the idea to use point 1's non-existence to explore point 3. In essence, I asked myself "How would Akira's relationship with Ema be different if he didn't have Aoi?"
> 
> Well, without needing to care for Aoi Akira has less motivation to climb the social ladder, but all things considered he’s probably still ambitious and still working for SOL- though in not using 100% of his working potential he considers himself lazy, since for Akira everything is either all or nothing, unless you're being sloppy. Probably not at the lofty position he’s at in cannon, but high enough to still meet Ema. Ema is still Ema, if more attached to Akira. Though, if Akira isn’t at a high-ranking position, that might make his life a bit freer and Ema’s relationship with him less constrained, they might actually be able to pursue a relationship.
> 
> Ironically, most of the original concepts put in here are very close to some of the ideas I have for Magnus/Kitten slash from _If The Emperor Had A Text To Speech Device_. As near as I can tell, what I wrote still fits with Akira and Ema's characters more than those of Magnus and Kitten, but I find the parallels amusing.


End file.
